The 10 Hills Fans of Scary Movies Are Willing To Die On Every Time

Many horror fans prefer the mysterious. Whether narratively or visually, not knowing everything about a threat can make it that much more terrifying.

One fan says that when it comes to movie monsters, “little bits for intrigue are almost always better and scarier than the full thing.” Another calls out prequels and sequels for over-explaining the threats that made original films in a franchise horrifying.

The original creator of the discussion thread highlights this as the hill they will die on. They say that the practical effects creators of the 1970s and 80s were real artists who made some truly iconic images with physical tools. Others agree this is a fair hill to die on, even if it’s also one of the most popular.

While found footage is sometimes dismissed for the low barrier to entry, several horror lovers in the discussion highlight that it’s not only an excellent way for people with limited resources to make a movie (which can be good or bad) but that the subgenre has also delivered some of the most iconic horror movies of all time. Some even go so far as to argue that found footage is the best format for horror movies.

Unsurprisingly, horror fans know that a high budget and quality are not always linked, but it’s worth highlighting as a hill to die on. Some users note that low budgets often force greater creativity which can lead to better movies.

Others emphasize that foundational films in the genre across the decades, like the original Cat People and Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies, are low-budget films.

Some fans of horror emphasize the difference between feeling disgusted and horrified. They argue scenes of extreme gore or sexual violence are upsetting but not scary. These fans are more interested in the story than explicit images and say that without an engaging story, those images aren’t effectively scary and only serve to shock.

The first topic on which there is significant disagreement in the discussion is unsurprising for most long-time horror fans: jump scares.

Some argue that jump scares are unnecessary for horror movies, and others go so far as to say that their inclusion can make a film worse by releasing all the tension. One person takes a hardline stance that “jump scares are not scary. They are startling.”

On the other hand, some horror lovers advocate the importance of jump scares. One fan says that jump scares are valuable as a way to add excitement to a movie but that they “should be treated as a garnish,” adding to an already scary movie, not functioning as the main driver of horror.

Many horror fans think that the term “thriller” is used to denigrate the horror genre, allowing snobbish cinephiles to say that they don’t like “horror” but appreciate “thrillers.” Some movies elicit a conversation about which genre they fall into (like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs). But when someone calls Get Out a “thriller,” it’s clear that they’re just trying to sound like they’re better than horror movies.

A more specific version of the belief that mystery is scarier than an explanation, several fans agree that ambiguity at the end of horror movies makes them more frightening.

One user goes so far as to say, “I want horror, not some whodunit movie where you have to know the ending.” Do you agree or have any other insights to add to this list?

This thread inspired this post.

Horror may be the genre that’s had the most remakes, but that’s been true since the silent era. One horror lover thinks remakes can never hurt the original because “If it’s bad, then it makes people appreciate the original more. If it’s good, then you have a great companion piece to a film you love.”